Pneumatic-powered griddle-loading mechanism

ABSTRACT

A pneumatically powered doughpiece loader for attachment to a production muffin griddle having a loading station in which trays of doughpieces are manually insertable at a time and in a place which is most conveniently suited to the repetitive natural and effortless arm and body movements of a lone operator giving him the necessary options to make continued high-speed, semiautomatic operation possible without fatigue. Actuation of a simple hand-operated valve by the operator starts the duty cycle by dumping the trays into a receiver assembly below. The receiver assembly is in turn coordinated in space and time with the muffin cups on the moving griddle flight by suitable valves, interlocking controls and pneumatic motors which dump the tray and the receiver assembly at the proper time and in the proper sequence. At the end of each duty cycle, the empty tray stands upright in the loading station ready for the operator to remove the tray therefrom and to insert a new loaded tray therein.

mite SE Noel tes

[ 1 PNEUMATIC-POWERED GRlDDLE-LOADING MECHANISM [75] Inventor: Eugene M. Noel, Newton Highlands,

Mass.

[73] Assignee: Alto Corporation, York, Pa.

[ Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Nov. 26, 1991. has been disclaimcd.

[22] Filed: June 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 374,332

[52] U.S. Cl. 214/314 [51] Int. Cl.'- B65B 21/02 [58] Field of Search 214/314, 302, 312, 313,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,311.70) 2/1943 Taylor 2l4/30l 3,|09,53l ll/l963 Jackson 214/314 Plilfldl') Exmniner-Albert J. Makay Assistant E.\'aminer-Lawrence .l. Oresky 5 7 ABSTRACT A pneumatically powered doughpiece loader for attachment to a production muffin griddle having a loading station in which trays of doughpieces are manually insertable at a time and in a place which is most conveniently suited to the repetitive natural and effortless arm and body movements of a lone operator giving him the necessary options to make continued high-speed, semi-automatic operation possible without fatigue. Actuation of a simple hand-operated valve by 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patfint Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,908,847

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 053 3,98,47

Sheet 3 of 3 Sept. 30,1975

atent PNEUMATIC-POWERED GRIDDLE-LOADING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The design of semi-automatic process machinery involves the coordination of the physical movements of the operator in time and motionwith respect to the dynamic input requirements of the machine ln the production toasting of English muffins, it has been customary for operators to handle proofed'doughpieces on a piece-by-piece basis and manually load form cups therewith to a continuous-operating griddle, as disclosed in my US. Pat. 'No. Re. 24,855. The ultimate in doughpiece handling rate and the machine productivity realizable therefrom for such piece-by-piece work is limited by the number of working hands which can be stationed in a given working area before each machine. Each hand loader in carrying out hisjob must pick up and placea particulardoughpie ce in a specific cup at a particular time. Such difficult machine-related job characteristics often confuse the operator and severely limit the productive capacity thereof.

Maximization of the productive capacity. of production machinery can be attained by fully automating the loading thereof. However, only in rare casescan fully automatic loading be made directly from a hopper or storage bin to a machine without the aid or help of human hands. More often than not, the physical characteristics of the product are such that it does not lend itself to fully automatic handling, and methods incorporating semi-automatic techniques involving some manual work must be devised. Such is the case in the handling of the wet, tacky, proofed doughpieces which are used in making English muffins.

Where semi-automatic operation offers the best trade-off in the choice between pieceby-piece handling and fully automated feeding, increased productivity can result if additional leverage is given the operator over the hand-loading of individual doughpieces by permitting him to hand-load trays each containing many doughpieces instead of individual doughpieces one at a time. The trays are loadedwith doughpieces in advance .of the production run in staging areas which are separate from the work area of the griddle where it is possible to apply more hands to the job than can be placed around the limited work area available at the infeed end of the machine. The trays are stored in racks conveniently placed adjacent to the work area of the machine from which the trays are removed one-by-one by the operator and inserted in the machine for further processing. I

SUMMARY OF' THE INVENTION The gist of this invention lies in a'doughpiece feeder which is attached to the infeed end of a continuous process muffin griddle for semi-automating the operation of feeding doughpieces thereto. The apparatus allows for the storage of proofed doughpieces in trays having a lineal array of spaced cups which are individually piece-loaded in staging areas and stackedin quantity in racks and stored nearby in preparation fora production run. v

The trays with their doughpieces .aretaken oneby-one from the racks by a lone operator and individually inserted in a'tray guide which is attached to the muffin feeder in transverse relation to the griddle ma- V gagesa bolt holding the griddle cup to the moving flighL'This causes the receiver assembly to invert even chine. This establishes the proper line-up of the array of cups in the tray in relation to the introduction of the doughpieces to the griddle machinery below. Mobile racks placed proximate to the feeder within easy arm's reach allowthe operator quick and convenient accessibility to an adequate supply of trays at all times. Replacement racks are readily available as successive racks are exhausted of their trays of doughpieces.

A tray locating station is provided for holding the tray and its array of cups in proper spatial relation to the griddle flight below. The tray locating station is pivotally mounted to the frame of the feeder, and when it is in the upright position, it is in horizontal tray sliding communication in the longitudinal direction with the guide. A stop which ismounted on the forward edge of the locating station slidingly engages the leading edge of the traywhen it is inserted therein by the operator. Clevis members are laterally disposed at opposite ends of the pivotally mounted locating station for securing the tray in vertical and lateral location thereon. Spring loaded pressure plates which are mounted on the clevis members engage small detents in the ends of each tray and lock the same in place in. the station.

A receiver cup assembly is pivotally mounted to the feeder frame over the longitudinally mbving griddle cups and directly below the pivotally mounted tray 10- 'cating station. The cups of the receiver assembly register in spatial relation with the cups of the upended tray above, and with'the griddle cups below, as the doughpieces are dumped in timed sequence from the tray to the griddle cups below.

The invention provides for a top rotary Cyclorotor (TM) drive for upending of the tray locating station which is pivotally mounted to the frame. The topdrive acts in response to the operators actuation of a hand-operated, four-way, directional control valve,

and coordinates the dumping of the individual doughpieces therefrom into the upright receiver cups in the receiver assembly therebelow and immediately returns the tray locating station to" upright normal position ready for extraction of the empty tray therefrom and the insertion of the next loaded tray therein. A'bottom rotary 180 Cyclorotor (TM) drive upends the receiver ,cup assembly which is also pivotally mounted to the frame. The bottom drive acts in response to the actuation of a pilot-operated, four-way, directional'control valve by a normally closed, three-way pneumatic limit switch which is in fluid communication therewith and which coordinates the dumping of the doughpieces therefrom in time and space relation thereto into the griddle cups therebelow when a sensor on the frame enthough there is no dough in it.

The doughpieces'are depositedin the receiving cups from the upended tray cups dry side down against the bottom 'of the receiver cup, the clevises' on the tray loading station are designed so as not to accept the proofer tray in the inverted position, and the top drive can only be energized when the bottom drives directional control valve is in its normal position corresponding to a normal position of the normally closed,

three-way limit switchf Once the bottom drives fourway directional control valve, is under command of the three-way limit switch, the air supply to the top drives hand-operated, four-way directional control valve is cut off. Anexhaust valve is employed to dump the top drive so that it cannot be energized by a delay in exhausting through the bottom drives four-way valve. The hand-operated, four-way valve cannot be actuated until the tray locator station is righted, and there is no chance of initiating a dump before the system fully returns to normal starting position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the automated doughpiece feeder attached to a machine griddle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary left side view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary right side view along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the doughpiece tray;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary right side view along line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end view along line 77 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a pneumatic circuit diagram of the same.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, an automated doughpiece feeder is mounted on the infeed end of a machine griddle for accepting the insertion of a doughpiece containing tray 11, as shown in FIG. 5, and comprises laterally spaced frame members 10 and 12 which are adapted to be mounted to the machine griddle 14. The tray 11 comprises a rectangular, open-end, channel-like frame having a top panel 13 with an array of cavities therein for containing the doughpieces D and opposed side legs 15 and 17 attached along the top side edges thereof. A tray guide 16 which is fixedly mounted to the frame members 10 and 12 comprises spaced guide members 18 and 20 each having horizontal and vertical side surfaces 21 and 23, respectively, along which the legs 15 and 17 of the tray 11 slide as it is inserted into a tray locating station 22. The tray locating station 22 comprises a top shaft 24 which is pivotally mounted in and transversely directed between the frame members 10 and 12, having a base plate 26 attached thereto and spaced end clevis members 28 and 30 mounted thereon. Base plate 26 supports the tray 11 from below while the clevis members 28 and 30 laterally locate and hold the tray 11 thereon from the opposite sides and above. Springloaded pressure plates 32 and 34 which are mounted on the clevis members 28 and 30, respectively, contact the top surface 13 of the tray 11 to lock the same in the station 22. A forward stop 36 on plate 26 limits the forward insertion of the legs 15 or 17 of the tray 11, as the case may be, therein.

A receiver assembly 38 comprises a bottom shaft 39 which is pivotally mounted in and transversely directed between the frame members 10 and 12, having an array of spaced cup members 40 thereon which match the corresponding array of cavities in the tray 11 upended and which are fixedly mounted in a transverse line in the same plane thereon. The receiver assembly 38 is mounted directly below the tray locating station 22 such that when the tray 11, which has its array of cavities loaded with doughpieces D, is upended in the tray loading station 22, doughpieces D will drop directly into the cups 40 of receiver 38 in the upright position below. The receiver assembly 38 is in turn mounted directly above the moving flights of cups 37 in array on the machine griddle 14 below such that the upended cups 40 of the receiver 38 simultaneously drop their loads of doughpieces into a transversely extending line of griddle cups 37 moving below.

A tray locating station top drive assembly 42 is mounted on the frame member 10 and operationally connected to the left hand end of the top shaft 24, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The top drive 42 comprises a mechanical coupling 44 which is fixedly mounted at one end to the left hand end of the top shaft 24, and a top rotary air royal 180 Cyclorotor (TM) 46 which is mounted on the frame member 10 and has an input shaft 48 which is attached to the other end of the coupling 44. The 180 Cyclorotor 46 is comprised of a pinion gear 50 (not shown) which is coupled to the input shaft 48 rotatably disposed within a pinion gear box 52. A rack 54 (not shown) which is slidingly disposed and longitudinally directed within the pinion gear box 52 engages the pinion gear 50 on the under side thereof. A fore single-acting air cylinder 56 having a rod end 58 (not shown) is mounted on the fore wall of the housing 52. The rod end 58 is operationally connected to the fore end of rack 54. An aft single-acting air cylinder 60 having rod end 62 (not shown) is mounted on the aft wall of the housing 52 such that an extension of the rod 62 under the application of air pressure to the aft cylinder 60 rotates the tray location station 22 in a clockwise direction from a horizontal upright to a horizontal upended position when viewed from the left hand side of the machine. The fore air cylinder 56 having a rod end 58 extends the rod 58 under the application of air pressure to the fore cylinder 56 and rotates the tray locating station 22 in a counterclockwise direction from a horizontal upended position to a horizontal upright position when viewed from the left hand side of the machine.

A receiver bottom drive assembly 68 is mounted on the frame member 12 and is operationally connected to the right hand of the bottom shaft 39, as shown in FIGS. I, 2 and 3. The bottom drive 68 comprises a mechanical coupling 70 which is fixedly mounted at one end to the right hand end of the bottom shaft 39, and a bottom rotary air royal 180 Cyclorotor (TM) 72 which is mounted on the frame member 12 and has an input shaft 74 which is attached to the other end of the coupling 70. The 180 Cyclorotor 72 is comprised of a pinion gear 76 (not shown) which is coupled to the input shaft 74 which is rotatably disposed within a pinion gear box 78. A rack 80 (not shown) which is slidably disposed and longitudinally directed within the gear box 78 engages the pinion gear 76 on the under side thereof. Fore single-acting air cylinder 82 having a rod end 84 (not shown) is mounted on the fore wall of the gear box 78. The rod end 84 is operationally connected to the fore end of the rack 80. An aft singleacting air cylinder 86 having a rod end 88 (not shown) is mounted on the aft wall of the gear box 78 such that an extension of the rod 84 under the application of air pressure on the cylinder 86 rotates the receiver assembly 38 in a clockwise direction from a horizontal upright to a horizontal upended position when viewed from the left hand side of the machine. The fore air cylinder 82 having a rod end 84 extends the rod 84 under the application of air pressure to the fore cylinder 82 and rotates the receiver assembly 38 in a counterclockwise direction from a horizontal upended position to a horizontal upright position when viewed from the left hand side of the machine.

Air pressure powers and controls the muffin feeder of this invention by means of the pneumatic circuit, as shown in FIG. 7, which comprises a commercial grade combination filter, pressure regulator and lubricator, "F-P-L" (TM), unit 98 which is connected to a 60 psig air supply 94 for furnishing a regulated l8-20 psig air pressure to the machine regardless of fluctuations in the supply pressure.

The control circuit comprises an Alkon (TM) four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve 96 having a first outlet port 97 in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder 82 on the bottom rotary air royal 180 Cyclorotor 72 and a second outlet port 99 in fluid communication with the aft air cylinder 86 thereof and a supply port 95 in fluid communication with the F-P-L air supply unit 98. In the normal position with its pilot unactuated and the receiver assembly 38 upright, the first outlet 97 of the valve 96 is connected in fluid communication with the F-P-L air supply unit 98 and the second outlet 99 thereof is connected to exhaust to atmosphere. In the pilot actuated position, the receiver assembly 38 is upended and the first outlet 97 is connected in fluid communication to exhaust to atmosphere and the second outlet 99 is connected in fluid communication with the F-P-L air supply'unit 98. The valve 96 has a pilot connection 93 in fluid communication therewith.

A normally-closed Lincoln (TM) three-way, pneumatic, limit switching valve 100 has a supply port 101 in fluid communication with the F-P-L air supply unit 98 and an outlet port 103 in fluid communication with the pilot connection 93 of the Alkon four-way, pilotoperated, directional control valve 96. The limit switch valve 100 is mounted on the frame member 12 adjacent to and above a flight 102 carrying the griddle cups 37. A shaft 104 is pivotally mounted on the frame member 12. A cam 106 is fixedly mounted to one end of the shaft 104 and operationally contacts the roller lever actuator of the limit switch 100, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. A rod actuator 108 is fixedly mounted to the other end of the shaft 104 and depends therefrom over the flight 102 carrying the griddle cups 37 for intermittently contacting the same and coordinating the upending and dumping of the receiver assembly 38 and the cups 40 loaded with doughpieces thereon into the griddle cups 37 below.

An exhaust valve 112 has an inlet port 113 in fluid communication with the first outlet port 97 of the Alkon four-way valve 96. A Numatic (TM) fourway, hand-operated, directional control valve 110 having a first outlet port 111 in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder 56 of the top rotary air royal 180 Cyclorotor 46 and a second outlet port 109 in fluid communication with the aft air cylinder 60 thereof has a supply port 115 in fluid communication with the outlet port 117 of the exhaust valve 112. In the normal position with the hand button 110 of the valve 110 unactuated and the tray locating station 22 in the upright position, the first outlet 111 of the valve 110 is connected in fluid communication with the first outlet 97 of the valve 96 and the second outlet 109 thereof is connected to exhaust to atmosphere. In the handbutton actuated position for valve 110, the tray locating station 22 is upended and the first outlet 111 of the valve 110 is connected in fluid communication to exhaust to atmosphere and the second outlet 109 thereof is connected in fluid communication with the first outlet 97 of the valve 96.

In this control circuit, top rotary Cyclorotor 46 can only be actuated when the Alkon four-way valve 96 for the control of the bottom rotary Cyclorotor 72 is in the normal position with its pilot connection 93 not open to air through the supply port 101 of the Lincoln threeway limit pneumatic switch 100. Once the valve 96 is actuated by the Lincoln three-way limit switching valve 100, the airsupply to the Numatic four-way valve which controls the top rotary Cyclorotor 46 is cut off. The exhaust valve 112 in fluid communication with the supply port 115 of the Numatic four-way valve 110 and the first outlet port 97 of the Alkon four-way valve 96 dumps the top Cyclorotor 46 so that it cannot be actuated by a delay in exhausting through the Alkon fourway valve 96 to atmosphere.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A semi-automatic doughpiece loading mechanism for mounting on continuous process muffin griddles above a flight of moving griddle cups having a particular array thereon and using interchangeable trays with top panels provided with a like array of doughpiece cups therein comprising:

a. a frame having spaced frame members fixedly mounted on the continuous process griddle in transverse relation to the moving griddle flight thereunder;

b. a tray guide fixedly mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto for guiding the insertion of a tray therein;

c. a tray locating station pivotally mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto and in horizontal sliding relation thereon with the said tray guide for locating a tray with relation to the loading mechanism;

d. a top tray locating station rotary actuator mounted on the frame members for upending the tray locating station and a tray thereon for dumping the doughpieces therefrom;

e. a receiver assembly having an array of cups thereon like that of the said tray pivotally mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto and in vertical relation with said tray' locating station for receiving doughpieces dumped from said tray;

f. a bottom receiver assembly rotary actuator mounted on the frame members for upending the receiver assembly and the said cups thereon and dumping doughpieces therefrom; and

g. a coordinating means for coordinating, in time and space, the upending of the tray locating station and the upending of the receiver assembly with the flight of moving griddle cups below.

2. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said tray guide comprises:

a. a guide frame fixedly mounted to the loader frame members;

b. right and left vertical side legs mounted to the guide frame for laterally guiding the insertion of the right and left ends of a tray therebetween; and

c. right and left horizontal base legs mounted to the guide frame for horizontally guiding the insertion of the right and left ends of a tray thereon.

3. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said tray locating station comprises:

a. a top shaft pivotally mounted in the loader frame members;

b. a bottom plate member mounted on said shaft having a top surface, right and left ends, a rear edge and a front edge located in transverse relation thereto for vertically locating the tray thereon;

c. right and left hand elevis members mounted on the top shaft adjacent to the right and left ends of said bottom plate member having pressure plates therein for laterally locating and locking in the right and left ends of a tray thereon; and

d. a tray stop member mounted on the top surface along the front edge of the bottom plate member for forwardly locating the insertion of the front side leg of a tray therein.

4. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said top tray locating station upending rotary actuator comprises:

a. fore-and-aft tray locating station upending air cylinders mounted on said frame having fore-and-aft cylinder rod ends;

b. a tray locating station upending rack slidably mounted on said frame and operationally connected at one end to the rod end of the fore cylinder and at the other end to the rod end of the aft cylinder;

c. a tray locating station upending pinion fixedly mounted to the top shaft and engaging the rack from above; and

d. mechanical stops mounted on the loader frame members limiting the tray locating station upended and upright positions to the horizontal.

5. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said receiver assembly comprises:

a, a bottom shaft pivotally mounted in the loader frame members; and

b. spaced cups mounted in linear co-planar relation on the bottom shaft.

6. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bottom receiver assembly upending rotary actuator comprises:

a. fore-and-aft receiver assembly upending air cylinders mounted on members loader frame members having fore-and-aft cylinder rod ends;

b. a receiver assembly upending rack slidably mounted on said loader frame members and operationally connected at one end to the rod end of the fore cylinder and at the other end to the rod end of the aft cylinder;

0. a receiver assembly upending pinion fixedly mounted to the bottom shaft and engaging the rack from above; and

d. mechanical stops mounted on the loader frame members to limit the receiver assembly upended and upright positions to the horizontal.

7. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said coordinating means comprises:

a. a pneumatic, four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve mounted on the loader frame members having a first outlet port in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder on the bottom pneumatic linear actuator/rotary converter and a sec- 0nd outlet port in fluid communication with the aft air cylinder thereof, and a supply port in fluid communication with an air supply unit having a filter, pressure regulator and lubricator combination;

b. a pneumatic, normally closed, three-way. limit switching valve mounted on the loader frame members having a supply port in fluid communication with the air supply unit and an outlet port in fluid communication with the pilot connection of the four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve, a shaft pivotally mounted on the frame, a cam fixedly mounted to one end of the shaft and operationally contacting the roller lever actuator of the limit switching valve, a rod actuator fixedly mounted to the other end of the shaft and depending therefrom over the griddle flight for intermittently contacting the same;

c. a pneumatic exhaust valve mounted on the loader frame members having an inlet port in fluid communication with the first outlet port of the fourway, pilot-operated, directional control valve; and

d. a pneumatic, four-way, hand-operated, directional control valve mounted on the loader frame members having a first outlet port in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder on the top pneumatic linear actuator and a second outlet port in fluid communication with the aft cylinder thereof and a supply port in fluid communication with the first outlet port of the four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve and a supply port in fluid communication with the outlet port of the exhaust valve.

8. A pneumatic-powered, semi-automatic doughpiece loading mechanism for continuous process griddles mounted above the geometric array of muffin cups moving with the griddle flight thereon, for use with interchangeable rectangular, channel-like trays each having front and rear side legs, right and left ends, and a top panel provided with an array of doughpiece cups therein like said muffin cups comprising:

a. spaced loader frame members fixedly mounted on the griddle in transverse relation to the moving griddle flight;

b. a tray guide fixedly mounted to the frame members in transverse relation thereto for guiding the insertion of a tray therein;

c. a tray locating station pivotally mounted on the frame members in transverse relation thereto and in horizontal sliding relationship with the tray guide thereon for locating a tray with relation to the loader;

d. a top double-acting, pneumatic-powered, tray locating station upending, linear input/rotary output actuator mounted on the loader frame members for upending of the tray, locating station and a tray placed thereon for dumping doughpieces therefrom;

e. a receiver assembly having an array of cups thereon like that of the said tray pivotally mounted on the loader frame members in transverse relation thereto and below the said tray locating station for receiving doughpieces dumped from said tray;

f. a bottom double-acting, pneumatic-powered, receiver assembly upending, linear input/rotary output actuator mounted on the loader frame members for upending of the receiver assembly and the 3,908,847 9 l receiver cups thereon for dumping doughpieces h. manually operated means for initiating operation therefrom;

g. a coordinating pneumatic switch means for coordinating, in time and space, the upending of the receiver assembly with the moving griddle cups be- Sad tray locatmg Statlon' low; and

of said top double-acting tray locating station upending actuator when a tray has been located on 

1. A semi-automatic doughpiece loading mechanism for mounting on continuous process muffin griddles above a flight of moving griddle cups having a particular array thereon and using interchangeable trays with top panels provided with a like array of doughpiece cups therein comprising: a. a frame having spaced frame members fixedly mounted on the continuous process griddle in transverse relation to the moving griddle flight thereunder; b. a tray guide fixedly mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto for guiding the insertion of a tray therein; c. a tray locating station pivotally mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto and in horizontal sliding relation thereon with the said tray guide for locating a tray with relation to the loading mechanism; d. a top tray locating station rotary actuator mounted on the frame members for upending the tray locating station and a tray thereon for dumping the doughpieces therefrom; e. a receiver assembly having an array of cups thereon like that of the said tray pivotally mounted between the spaced frame members in transverse relation thereto and in vertical relation with said tray locating station for receiving doughpieces dumped from said tray; f. a bottom receiver assembly rotary actuator mounted on the frame members for upending the receiver assembly and the said cups thereon and dumping doughpieces therefrom; and g. a coordinating means for coordinating, in time and space, the upending of the tray locating station and the upending of the receiver assembly with the flight of moving griddle cups below.
 2. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray guide comprises: a. a guide frame fixedly mounted to the loader frame members; b. right and left vertical side legs mounted to the guide frame for laterally guiding the insertion of the right and left ends of a tray therebetween; and c. right and left horizontal base legs mounted to the guide frame for horizontally guiding the insertion of the right and left ends of a tray thereon.
 3. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tray locating station comprises: a. a top shaft pivotally mounted in the loader frame members; b. a bottom plate member mounted on said shaft having a top surface, right and left ends, a rear edge and a front edge located in transverse relation thereto for vertically locating the tray thereon; c. right and left hand clevis members mounted on the top shaft adjacent to the right and left ends of said bottom plate member having pressure plates therein for laterally locating and locking in the right and left ends of a tray thereon; and d. a tray stop member mounted on the top surface along the front edge of the bottom plate member for forwardly locating the insertion of the front side leg of a tray therein.
 4. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said top tray locating station upending rotary actuator comprises: a. fore-and-aft tray locating station upending air cylinders mounted on said frame having fore-and-aft cylinder rod ends; b. a tray locating station upending rack slidably mounted on said frame and operationally connected at one end to the rod end of the fore cylinder and at the other end to the rod end of the aft cylinder; c. a tray locating station upending pinion fixedly mounted to the top shaft and engaging the rack from above; and d. mechanical stops mounted on the loader frame members limiting the tray locating station upended and upright positions to the horizontal.
 5. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said receiver assembly comprises: a. a bottom shaft pivotally mounted in the loader frame members; and b. spaced cups mounted in linear co-planar relation on the bottom shaft.
 6. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bottom receiver assembly upending rotary actuator comprises: a. fore-and-aft receiver assembly upending air cylinders mounted on members loader frame members having fore-and-aft cylinder rod ends; b. a receiver assembly upending rack slidaBly mounted on said loader frame members and operationally connected at one end to the rod end of the fore cylinder and at the other end to the rod end of the aft cylinder; c. a receiver assembly upending pinion fixedly mounted to the bottom shaft and engaging the rack from above; and d. mechanical stops mounted on the loader frame members to limit the receiver assembly upended and upright positions to the horizontal.
 7. A doughpiece loader, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said coordinating means comprises: a. a pneumatic, four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve mounted on the loader frame members having a first outlet port in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder on the bottom pneumatic linear actuator/rotary converter and a second outlet port in fluid communication with the aft air cylinder thereof, and a supply port in fluid communication with an air supply unit having a filter, pressure regulator and lubricator combination; b. a pneumatic, normally closed, three-way, limit switching valve mounted on the loader frame members having a supply port in fluid communication with the air supply unit and an outlet port in fluid communication with the pilot connection of the four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve, a shaft pivotally mounted on the frame, a cam fixedly mounted to one end of the shaft and operationally contacting the roller lever actuator of the limit switching valve, a rod actuator fixedly mounted to the other end of the shaft and depending therefrom over the griddle flight for intermittently contacting the same; c. a pneumatic exhaust valve mounted on the loader frame members having an inlet port in fluid communication with the first outlet port of the four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve; and d. a pneumatic, four-way, hand-operated, directional control valve mounted on the loader frame members having a first outlet port in fluid communication with the fore air cylinder on the top pneumatic linear actuator and a second outlet port in fluid communication with the aft cylinder thereof and a supply port in fluid communication with the first outlet port of the four-way, pilot-operated, directional control valve and a supply port in fluid communication with the outlet port of the exhaust valve.
 8. A pneumatic-powered, semi-automatic doughpiece loading mechanism for continuous process griddles mounted above the geometric array of muffin cups moving with the griddle flight thereon, for use with interchangeable rectangular, channel-like trays each having front and rear side legs, right and left ends, and a top panel provided with an array of doughpiece cups therein like said muffin cups comprising: a. spaced loader frame members fixedly mounted on the griddle in transverse relation to the moving griddle flight; b. a tray guide fixedly mounted to the frame members in transverse relation thereto for guiding the insertion of a tray therein; c. a tray locating station pivotally mounted on the frame members in transverse relation thereto and in horizontal sliding relationship with the tray guide thereon for locating a tray with relation to the loader; d. a top double-acting, pneumatic-powered, tray locating station upending, linear input/rotary output actuator mounted on the loader frame members for upending of the tray, locating station and a tray placed thereon for dumping doughpieces therefrom; e. a receiver assembly having an array of cups thereon like that of the said tray pivotally mounted on the loader frame members in transverse relation thereto and below the said tray locating station for receiving doughpieces dumped from said tray; f. a bottom double-acting, pneumatic-powered, receiver assembly upending, linear input/rotary output actuator mounted on the loader frame members for upending of the receiver assembly and the receiver cups thereon for dumping doughpieces therefrom; g. a coordinating pneumatic switch means for coordinating, in time and space, the upending of the receiver assembly with the moving griddle cups below; and h. manually operated means for initiating operation of said top double-acting tray locating station upending actuator when a tray has been located on said tray locating station. 